
MEADE 
:nCol 1 


AND 


Ellwood B. Welsh 

Copyright, 1916, By Ellwood B. Welsh 



378 


OLD 

FISHTOWN 

AND 


KENSINGTON 



Bringing Memories of the Passed 


BY 

Ell wood B. Welsh 


PHILADELPHIA 

1916 










0 



^Uc/a/i 




•JAN 



13 1916 


©CLA419579 







EARLY PHILADELPHIA 

The King of Sweden, intended to found 
a colony before William Penn was born. 

Cj*\HILADELPHIA, is the third largest city in the 
United States It covers an area of 130 square 
miles, takes in all of Philadelphia County, 
the greater part of which contains numerous well- 
built, two-story houses, many of them owned by pe- 
ople of moderate means, verily it is a city of homes. 

With streets well paved and lighted, a Police and 
Fire Department equal to any, with Transit facilities 
of the best, the million and a half inhabitants truly 
share the blessings of modern living. The product- 
ion of enormous quantities of carpet, steel, machin- 
ery. tools, refined sugar, boots and shoes, in addition 
to its locomotive and shipbuilding industry, makes it 
the nation’s leading manufacturing and industrial city. 

Citizens take pride in the reah'zation of their, 
city’s present state, and in recalling its past history. 
Joyfully do thev regard it as the Birth-place of the 
greatest Republic. God’s stars have ever twinkled 
ove’*, as the nation’s Capital till 1800, and the first place 
where the "Brotherhood of Man” was honestly pract- 
iced and lived. 


3 


It is true that the Quakers under William Penn, 
established the "City of Brotherly Love,” but their 
ideas were not new, for before Penn was born, Gus- 
tavas Adolphus, King of Sweden, formed plans for a 
colony on the very same soil, along precisely the same 
lines followed by the founder of our State, some few 
years later. 

As early as 1638, a Swedish expedition planted a 
"New Sweden” on a narrow portion of land in that 
section known as Southwark. The Dutch, too, under 
Peter Stuyvesant, Governor of Manhattan, after war- 
ring on the Swedes, settled and ruled for a short time 
till 1664, when the English raised their flag and com 
manded supreme up to 1672, when the Dutch again 
appeared and took possession. The following year, 
however, the English again came into power. 

Following this era of tangles and wrangles, they 
reorganized affairs on the Delaware. Trading with 
the Indians was resumed and conditions improved. 

Before long, a man whose prominence over- 
shadowed every other man of early times was to app- 
ear on the Delaware. 

A revolution was in progress in England. The 
great Cromwell, at the battle of Marston Moor, de- 
feated the host of Charles I., which opened the way 
for the beheading of the King, in 1649. In the con- 

4 


tinent of Europe a twenty-six year war between Pro- 
testantism and Catholicism was raging. Smoke and 
death, ruin and waste resulted. Various churches 
were born. Religion was in a mix-up. 

In this eventful period William Penn was born. 

The son of an English naval officer, his educat- 
ion was carefully planned. At an early age he ent- 
ered Oxford and here formed his first desire to found 



WILLIAM PENN 


a free and independent colony. Embracing Quaker- 
ism when quite young, enduring the hardship and 
suffering that was the lot of all pioneer reformers, 

5 


fate finally directed his eyes to the New World. 

On the First of September, 1682, he left England 
and the good ship Welcome bore him to the land 
where he was to try his "Holy experiment.” Arriving 
at New Castle, late in October, he very shortly went 
to Upland, or Mecoponacka, as Chester was then call- 
ed by the Indians. Conferring with James Sandelands, 
the elder, he then repaired to the mouth of the 
Schuylkill, thence to Dock Creek. Here he went 
ashore at a point about what is now Third and Dock 
streets. It was here that the famous "Blue Anchor 
Tavern” was later built and the first houses known 
as "Budd’s Long Row,” were erected, thus starting 
the city of Philadelphia. 

In a few months the city numbered eighty houses, 
farmers cleared their land, crops were abundant, a 
three hundred foot dock was built, fine stone houses 
arose and in three years after Penn's first landing, 
five-hundred houses were built. 

In December, 1683, Enoch Flower, opened a sch- 
ool dn a crude hut. Six years later the first Public 
School was started. 

The Province prospered and expanded. The com- 
ing of the French-Indian war found the devout Quak- 
ers unwilling to swell the army, but they did contrib- 
ute two-hundred pounds to the Queen, instead of the 
Province's quota of men. 


6 


Succeeding years brought dissentions between 
the legislative and executive branches of the Govern- 
ment. The colony grew notwithstanding, and the 
Great Revolution of 1776, made it an important city. 

KENSINGTON 

Was once a part of Northern Liberties 

The growth of the city of Philadelphia, found 
numerous out-laying sections settling and gradually 
developing. As early as 1762, Southwark was given 
distinct right of government aside from the city map- 
ped out by Penn. Forty years later the municipal- 
ity of Northern Liberties was incorporated by the 
Colonial Legislature. 

This comprised what is now the Eleventh, Twelf- 
th, Sixteenth, Seventeenth and Eighteenth Wards of 
the present city. Up till this time numerous settlers 
had lived in the upper section, or the Kensington end. 
Th act of 1803, provided three Commissioners, all of 
whom were selected from the lower end of the North- 
ern Liberties. This incensed the Kensingtonians 
and they accused the southern end of practicing the 
very principle that their forefathers had shed their 
blood in resisting, namely, taxation without represent- 
ation. 


7 


As a result, a movement was started to divide 
the Northern Liberties. It was carried to the Legis- 
lature. The feeling between the two sections grew 
so intense that in the election of 1819, a number of 
persons were hurt. This was responsible for the 
introduction of a bill to divide the Northern Liberties 
and in March, 1820, Governor Findlay approved it. 

The first section of the articles of incorporation 
says: "The inhabitants of the part of Northern Lib- 
erties, in the County of Philadelphia, beginning at 
the mouth of Cohocksink Creek, and the line of the 
incorporated district of the Northern Liberties; thence 
along the River Delaware to the south line of the 

property of the late Gibson; thence to Gunner’s 

Creek and across the same to the south line of land, 
late of Isaac Norris, deceased and now of J. P, Norris; 
thence along the same line and the several courses 
thereof across the Frankford Road to Germantown 
Road to the middle of Sixth Street continued, thence 
along the middle of the same to the line of the inc- 
orporated district of Northern Liberties, thence along 
the line of same to place of begining, shall constitute 
a body politic in law and in fact by the title of the 
Commissioners and inhabitants of the Kensington 
district of the Northern Liberties. 

From this it will be noticed that from 1820, to 
1854, Kensington was a distinct municapality. Its 

8 


Commissioners’ Hall was situated on Frankford Road 
above Master Street, not so far from where the Tenth 
District Police Station is now. 

FISHTOWN 

In those days the locality was not the busy section 
of the present. The musical buzz of its great mills 
and factories had hardly started. It was principally 
a boat and shipbuilding centre. The oldest inhabit- 
ants, however, were fishermen and because of this 
occupation, the neighborhood from what is now East 
Susquehanna Avenue, west to what is now Earl Street 
and from the River to Girard Avenue, wherein most 
of them lived, early became known as "Fishtown.” 

In the old days Smoke-houses dotted the River- 
side, whose clear waters slowly ran to the Atlantic. 
The men hauled in great quantities of the finest kind 
of fish. The women smoked or pickled the herring 
and the catch was conveyed in wagons, early in the 
morning, to Dock Street, where they found a ready 
market. 

With the close of the productive season there was 
usually a period of celebration. The voices of negroes 
driving carts through the streets, resounded with the 
glad song, "Fishing time is over.” At the same time 
it was the habit to fill a huge tub with lemonade 

9 


and put a "Stick” in it. Around this the happy fish- 
ermen, their wives and children would congregate and 
shout their praises to the sky, 

How gladsome must have been these festivals to 
old "Fishtown” where the air was pure and sweet, 
where all were for one and one was for all. Where 
the walnut, cedar, poplar, ash, oak and elm trees spr- 
ead their majestic branches. Where the trees and 
shrubs were robed in brilliant colors, the birds in 
bright plumage and all nature wore its richest dress. 

In the olden days Fishtown and its surroundings 
were beautiful. Beach Street was a promenade run- 
ning all along the river front. It was then called 
King Street. Instead of the ruin and dirt of to-day, 
it was a picturesque thoroughfare. Fine houses lin- 
ed its sides, shade trees and splended gardens met 
the eye on every hand. Many of the finest families 
lived mid its splendor. Such buildings as the Kend- 
all Mansion, now used to house a second hand mach- 
inery concern, and the Tees Home, lately demolished, 
were examples of grand homes just outside of 
Fishtown. 

East Susquehanna Avenue, was then called Wood 
Street. There too, excellent homes abounded. Here 
lived many of the hardy fishermen. A few of the 
best known being the Faunces, Rices, Bennetts, Potes, 
Bakeovens. Teeses, Palmers and Anthonies. 

10 


Richmond street, in those days, was Queen street. 
Here most of the early business was centered. Here, 
too, the Kensington Engine Company was started, 
the first fire engine in Kensington. It was on Queen 
street, near Marlborough, Instituted in 1791, every 
member of the Company had a bucket which was 
hung in the entry of his home. When there was a 
fire the engine was supplied with water from the buc- 
kets, the men standing in a long line and passing the 
buckets from man to man until the engine was reach- 
ed, then it was pumped on the fire and the empty 
buckets passed along the line back. 

On the corner of Queen and Marlborough streets 
stood the old Methodist Brick Church, since 1802. 
This was the favorite place of worship, and was att- 
ended by many of the first families of Kensington. 
At first, though, it was a small building, standing all 
alone and it was a common thing to see cows grazing 
in the fields all around it. When the weather was 
suitable the members of this congregation would fre- 
quently hold services under the old Treaty Elm at 
King and Hanover streets 

Marlborough street, named after the Duke of 
Marlborough, was a highway with many shade trees. 
Along this too, stood many nice homes. Here also 
stood the Emmanuel Protestant Episcopal Church, 
since 1837. Previous to that, a number of attempts 
had been made to establish an Episcopal Church in 
Kensington. The first effort was made by Bishop 
11 


White, in 1835. He started what was known as the 
Holy Trinity Church. It appears to have failed in the 
same year. In 1836, Rev. Wiltburger, made another 
attempt and opened a Sunday School in the Commiss- 
ioners’ Hall. In the following year it was decided to 
organize a Church and the corner-stone of the present 
Emmanuel Protestant Episcopal Church was laid. 

Shackamaxon Street, was the line followed by a 
good many boatmen. At its foot stood the old Tub 
Works and the Shackamaxon Slip. From here up to 
a few years ago, the people used to start boat races. 
Right near it stood the old Shackamaxon Ferry to 
Camden. This is still used, though its construction 
has been altered in many ways. 

At Frankford Road and Girard Avenue the Ken- 
sington National Bank was started. A short distance 
from this was the William Penn Hose Company. On 
the lower end of the Road in the direction of the 
River, in the neighborhood of Laurel Street, a large 
number of dwellings met the eye. It was to this 
section that Rev. Michael Filan, came in the early 
60’s and started a Catholic Mission. It was located on 
Beach Street, near Laurel. Through the efforts of 
Father Filan, a Parochial School was eventually built 
at what is now Front and Allen Streets. In the base- 
ment of the school the people of the parish attended 
Mass. Finally in the Spring of 1869, with a fine 

12 


ceremony, the present Immaculate Conception Catholic 
Church was dedicated. This divided Saint Michael’s 
Parish which was the first Roman Catholic Parish in 
Kensington, it being started in 1841. 

Girard Avenue, formerly Earl Street, was a stra- 
ight road to Gunners’ Creek. Here was situated the 
prefered Dance Hall. The Presbyterian Church of Ken- 
sington, was erected near what is now Columbia 
Avenue, in 1858. It was founded, however, in 1813, 
as a small Mission, on what is now Beach Street, by 
Rev. George Chandler, who served the Church for 
fourty-five years. 

Thompson Street, one time called Duke Street, 
was also a fine section and many esteemed families 
lived there. 

Columbia Avenue, was called Hanover Street, 
and it had its share of importance. The East Baptist 
Church, standing here, just above Girard Avenue, is 
not a remnant of the old section. There was an 
earlier movement, known as the Twelfth Baptist 
Church, this was on old Queen Street, below Shack- 
amaxon. This went out of existence and for some 
years there was no Baptist Church in Kensington. 
In 1837, Rev. W. B. Tolan, held the first public meet- 
ings (that resulted in starting the present well known 
Church), in the William Penn Hal), Frankford Avenue 
and Girard Avenue. The present Minister, Rev. C. 

13 


H. Woolston,, D. D., succeeded the Rev. S. S. Weed- 
ward, near twenty-nine years ago and through his un- 
tiring work the church has actually stamped itself up- 
on the later history of the section. The present 
pastor is remembered by many, as the oiiginator of 
famous Penny Conceits for children, and for the open 
air services he used to conduct at Penn Treaty Park. 

In the early times the people took a deep interest 
in their homes. Every nook of old "Fishtown” was 
once a Flowery Eden. But a short distance away 
forests and farms abounded. "Bob White” whistled 
in the medow, wild ducks were easily found in the 
neighboring inlets. Rabbits, squirrels and deer were 
to be had. The night breezes frequently waft the 
the sound of piping frogs and the occasional screech 
of an owl or the howl of a wolf could be heard. 

Midst these conditions the earliest "Fishtowr ers” 
lived and moved and had their being. Varily the old 
town that once nestled on the Delaware’s Eastern 
shore has passed away. Many of the old timers are 
asleep in the antiquated Hanover or Palmer burying 
ground 

Only a few relics of Fishtown’s past remain 
and are passed unoticed by the average resident. 

East Susquehanna contains a few houses in which 
original F shermen lived Richmond Street, East 
Columbia Avenue, Marlborough and Palmer Streets, 

14 


are still dotted here and there, with old fashioned 
homes. 

The old Kendall Mansion still remains on Beach 
Street, though it is sandwiched between junk yards 
and high sheds. A short distance away, the old Eyre 
Home looks out upon the busy Delaware, its roof cav- 
ing in, its windows broken and rusty chains, boilers 
and windlasses blocking its entrance. Directly opposite 
is the remains of what was once one of Kensington’s 
ship yards. Near this is the crumbling stone marking 
the spot where Penn made his treaty with the Indians 
in 1682. It was erected in 1827. 

But alas! "Fishtown” has passed away. Its green 
by-ways and sweet perfumed air is now only a mem- 
ory. Lumber yards, saw mills and various industrial 
establishments create din and dirt, displacing the still- 
ness and cleanness of the grand old section. Wagons, 
freight trains and street cars have taken the place of 
the fishermen’s slow moving cart, but deep in the 
heart of the native of the section is the knowledge 
and thought that those who have journeyed on were 
among the best of Philadelphia's early residents. 


15 


FISHTOWN 


Oh! yes, there used to be a town, 

Some precious years ago; 

Nestling mid bright sylva 
Near it the Delaware drifted slow. 

The folks there lived in happiness. 

It was an Eden fair; 

Blossoms spread sweet incense 
That perfumed God’s pure air. 

Most of the men went fishing. 

And what herring they brought back. 

Their wives would set to smoking 
In a typical wooden shack; 

Then the product of their labor, 

With a promptness that was meet, 

They hurried to the market 
Standing down at old Dock Street. 

So Father Time, with steady gait. 
When to the place he came, 

Observed that there was fishing done 
And "Fish town” was its name. 

But Time, the mighty Monarch, 

Permits nothing still to stand: 

He reared "Fishtown” with tender care. 
To crush it with his hand. 

He lulled the brawny fishermen 
Into eternal, peaceful sleep: 

He cleared the woodland and the farms 
And not much did he. keep.. 

Of course he left some other things. 

For the people of to-day, ; 

Though he cut and slashed up everything 
Till "Fishtown” passed away. 




